After nearly 10 days, Orrington firefighters have cleared the scene of a once-burning trash incinerator.
Crews were gone as of Friday afternoon, after the fire was fully extinguished that morning, Fire Chief Scott Stewart said. The Eagle Point Energy Center fire started before 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 1.
Firefighters hadn’t seen a hotspot in 24 hours and the trash pile had been fully turned over to ensure the fire was fully out, Stewart said.
The plant, formerly known as Penobscot Energy Recovery Co., is now back in the hands of employees who are working to remove the trash.
A total of 1,623 tons of trash have been removed from the Orrington waste incinerator since Monday, Town Manager Chris Backman said. There was roughly 6,000 tons of trash in the facility before the fire. It’s hard to judge how much is left by weight because everything is water logged, but Backman said he believes about a third of the trash is removed.
Semi-trailer-sized loads of trash are going to Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town. It’ll likely be about 16 to 18 days until all the trash is cleared, Backman said.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has approved a corrective action plan for remediation efforts, which is being overseen by an engineering firm, Backman said.
The facility stopped processing trash in May 2023. It will restart operations in 2025, according to Evan Coleman, a representative of EPEC.
“We want to publicly state our great appreciation and thanks for the rapid response from first responders on the night of the fire, including those from neighboring communities, the ongoing work to fully extinguish it, and the thoughtful expert leadership from Orrington Fire Chief Scott Stewart,” Coleman said in a statement.
Backman and Stewart thanked the firefighters and their families for their work and flexibility. They also thanked the neighboring departments that sent help, along with businesses and contractors who assisted.
